Photo Tip of The Week: How To Take Better Sports Pics (Part One)

In the first of a two-part series, Robert Keeley explains some important basic techniques you can use to capture more exciting sports images.

Learning to improve your sports photography is as easy as turning to your nearest media outlet. Every weekend on sports websites, or in newspapers, you can see the work of local and international sports photographers. There you’ll find the best sports images from many of the top photographers in the field. These photographers and the images they produce are a great source of inspiration, but rather than being in awe of their work, you can actually use these shots to learn how and when you can create your own great sports images. Here’s a list of some simple steps you can use if you want to improve the percentage of ‘keepers’ you get when you shoot sports.

01 STUDY THE BEST

Fortunately access to the best sporting images is very easy – simply click on the website of your favourite sport, or look up the sports section of the major newspapers, and you’ll have plenty to study. And that’s the first step; don’t just admire these pictures, critically examine them to see why they work. The first thing you’ll note is that most of these shots have the flat perspective and shallow depth of field indicative of extreme telephoto shooting. The message is clear that a lot of the best sports action images require a telephoto lens for greater impact. You can also use a short lens for sports very effectively, but this will limit you to the times when the action is close. Also note that often the images shot by pros show the faces of the participants as they strain for success, or feel the pain of defeat. Just because sports photos are generally action shots, it doesn’t mean they can't show human emotion.

02 PICK YOUR SPOT

In sport photography, as in real estate, it’s all about location, location, location! Photographers pursuing particular a sport often start with some connection to it through family or friends. They may even have taken part in the sport themselves. They need to use this intimate knowledge of the sport to their advantage. In any sporting competition there are particular spots which will afford you the best view of the peak action. Study the action to locate that spot (or spots) and stake it out. With field sports that may mean you’ll miss some highlights, but you’ll simply never capture every moment anyway. You have to learn to accept that! Now check your backgrounds; shots with scoreboards or spectators in the distance can have more impact than shots with empty stands. Remember, there’s nothing worse than chasing up and down a field or indoor venue trying to snap elusive sporting highlights. In sports photography, patience really is a virtue. Of course, at the highest level of sports these days you’ll probably be barred from the best locations, which for commercial reasons are more than likely secured for professionals. That leads to our next tip.


Try to pick the peak of any action in the sport you're covering. Better anticipation will come by studying the sport, and practising shooting at its peak moments. Canon EOS 1D Mk IV, 70-200mm lens + 1.4x extender @ 260mm focal length, 1/1000s @ f/5, ISO 320, -1/3EV.

03 GO LOCAL

These days, if you’re not a professional photographer, the vagaries of commercial sporting rights will often mean you simply won’t be allowed into the best shooting positions at major sports. You can’t fight ‘city hall’, so think laterally and drop down a level. For example, if you want to shoot AFL, NRL, or A League football, commercial imperatives will mean you’re highly unlikely to even be able to take a camera into the grounds of those codes (though mobile phones are an entirely different argument). So try for the next grade down. In AFL for example, the state leagues (VFL, SANFL, or WAFL) are far more casual about access for photographers and you’ll generally have no problem taking camera gear into those grounds. At local level competitions you should have no problems at all, and the smaller crowds will also allow you many more shooting location options. And if your work is good enough, local leagues, associations or clubs may even be interested in receiving shots in exchange for even better access to rooms or competitors.

Next week we’ll discuss some of the technical issues which arise in shooting sports action.


Indoor sports can be challenging because of the light, but indoor stadiums do allow you to shoot closer to the action. Here I favoured a wide-angle lens and a very high ISO setting to avoid using flash. Canon EOS 1D Mk IV, 16-35mm lens @ 20mm, 1/1000s @ f/4.5, ISO 2000.


At this soccer tournament I positioned myself near the goals and waited. Eventually some action came close. Canon EOS 1D Mk IV, 16-35mm lens @ 27mm, 1/640s @ f/11, ISO 400.


Cricket can be one of the toughest sports to shoot. The action occurs in short bursts and there are long periods when not much happens. As well, most of the action is on the central pitch, requiring at least a 300mm telephoto lens. Here I also added an extender. Canon EOS 1D Mk IV, 300mm lens + 1.4x extender @ 420mm focal length, 1/800s @ f/4.5, ISO 400, +1/3EV.


Shooting good sailing images requires a team effort, with a good power boat driver to get you close in to the action. Here I was working with one of the best, who took me close to a course rounding mark. You can't shoot with a telephoto lens much longer than 200mm as the movement of your boat will ruin the image. And you also need to brace your elbows and anticipate the rocking of your photo boat - all in all, a hard day's work! Canon EOS 40D, 70-200mm @ 115mm focal length, 1/350s @ f/4.5, ISO 100.

For part two of this series, click here.